1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus having a touch panel for an injection molding machine which has a main display mode for selectively displaying information relating to each function of the injection molding machine on an individual screen corresponding to the function and whose touch panel enables input from the screen through touching.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an injection molding machine is equipped with a control unit, and a display apparatus having a touch panel accompanies the control unit.
Conventionally, there is known a display apparatus having a touch panel for an injection molding machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2 (1990)-103114. Normally, such a display apparatus having a touch panel has the function to selectively display information relating to each function of the injection molding machine on an individual screen corresponding to the function. The functions of an injection molding machine include a die-opening/metering function, an ejector function, and an injecting/metering function. Also, the touch panel enables input from the screen through touching.
However, the aforementioned conventional display apparatus having a touch panel involves the following problems.
First, since information relating to each function of an injection molding machine is displayed on an independent screen corresponding the function, a certain type of work may involve a frequent changeover of displayed screens in order to effect input from the screen through touching. For example, in a regular molding step, the ejector function is turned on. By contrast, in a setting step for setting molding conditions, the ejector function must be turned off, since set values must be adjusted while the state of resin filled in a die is monitored. In the setting step, if the ejector function is left on, an ejector pin will advance upon opening of the mold; consequently, a molded object will be ejected from the die. Accordingly, in this case, a user must change screens from a setting screen to an ejector function screen in order to turn off the ejector function, through touching a relevant touch key on the displayed ejector function screen. In this manner, the conventional display apparatus having a touch panel involves complication of operation, which hinders quick, smooth execution of work and is highly likely to cause operation errors.
Second, in an injection molding machine, functions are closely interrelated in terms of operational state; thus, when a certain function is active, it is quite important to accurately and quickly grasp the operational state of other functions. However, the conventional display apparatus having a touch panel fails to accurately and quickly provide the operational state of the entire injection molding machine, since information relating to each function is displayed on an independent screen corresponding to the function.
An object of the present invention is to provide a display apparatus having a touch panel for an injection molding machine capable of facilitating input operation, expediting work, and preventing occurrence of operation errors.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a display apparatus having a touch panel for an injection molding machine enabling a user to confirm various closely related operation data at a glance so as to accurately and quickly grasp the operational state of the entire injection molding machine.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a display apparatus having a touch panel for an injection molding machine which provides diversified input forms or display forms so as to improve its user friendliness.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a display apparatus for an injection molding machine which has a touch panel for touch input. The display apparatus has a main display mode and an auxiliary display mode. In the main display mode, information relating to each function of the injection molding machine is selectively displayed on an individual screen corresponding to the function. In the auxiliary display mode, a collective sub-screen is selectively displayed on any of the screens or on a specific one of the screens. The collective sub-screen contains a collection of specific display elements having something in common and selected from among display elements to be displayed on the screens.